DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR INDEPENDENT DECISION-MAKING AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR INDEPENDENT DECISION-MAKING AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Summary/Abstract: The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the situational method as a pedagogical tool for developing decision-making skills, enhancing awareness of consequences, and fostering personal responsibility among individuals with intellectual disabilities. The study employs a set of situational cards containing illustrations and brief descriptions of everyday life situations designed to stimulate moral judgement and the selection of appropriate behavioural responses. The empirical research was conducted in three consecutive stages: initial assessment, educational intervention, and follow-up evaluation. The study involved 10 participants, and the assessment was carried out through pedagogical observation, analysis of participants’ responses, and a three-point scale measuring the level of independence in decision-making. During the intervention phase, the situational cards were systematically implemented through guided discussions, role-playing activities, behavioural modelling, and prompting questions aimed at supporting the understanding of social situations and the development of adaptive behavioural strategies. The results of the comparative analysis between the initial and follow-up assessments demonstrate significant positive changes across all investigated criteria. The overall mean score of the group increased from 1.23 points at the initial assessment to 2.30 points after the educational intervention, representing an 87.0% positive change. The most substantial improvement was observed in the indicators of “sense of personal responsibility” and “awareness of consequences”, which showed increases of 91.6% and 90.9%, respectively. The analysis of the distribution across levels of independence revealed a substantial reduction in the number of participants requiring full support, alongside an increase in the proportion of individuals demonstrating independent choices and the ability to justify their decisions. The obtained findings indicate that the use of visually presented real-life situations, combined with interactive pedagogical approaches, contributes to the development of moral judgement, social responsibility, and independent behaviour skills. The study confirms the applicability and effectiveness of the situational method as an intervention strategy supporting social adaptation and personal development among individuals with intellectual disabilities.

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